Book review: The Silver Road

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By Stina Jackson
Translated by Susan Beard
Published by Corvus

 Synopsis: Three years ago, Lelle's daughter went missing in a remote part of Northern Sweden. Lelle has spent the intervening summers driving the Silver Road under the midnight sun, frantically searching for his lost daughter, for himself and for redemption.

 Meanwhile, seventeen-year-old Meja arrives in town hoping for a fresh start. She is the same age as Lelle's daughter was - a girl on the brink of adulthood. But for Meja, there are dangers to be found in this isolated place.

 As autumn's darkness slowly creeps in, Lelle and Meja's lives are intertwined in ways, both haunting and tragic, that they could never have imagined.

 How did this book end up in my hands? I read its serialisation on The Pigeonhole a few months ago.

 Was it a page-turner? I liked the book from the beginning but it took me a few instalments to become totally gripped by the narrative. Once I reached that stage, I couldn’t wait to read more.

 Having read the synopsis, did the book meet my expectations? The synopsis outlines the basics of the plot but the book exceeded my expectations thanks to the magnificent descriptions of the Swedish landscape, which made me feel like I was there.

 Did I like the ending? [no spoilers] It’s a bittersweet ending and I loved it. 

 Three words to describe it. Evocative. Dark. Thought-provoking.

 Do I like the cover? Yes, it’s simple and effective.

 Have I read any other books by the same author? This is the author’s debut novel and I’ll definitely be keeping up with her future work. I would also like to read more of the books translated by Susan Beard as only an incredibly skilled linguist could have created this English version.

 Will I be recommending this book? Yes, totally. You can read this book as the story of a father looking for his missing daughter and be completely satisfied… but you can also delve deeper and use it as a starting point for discussions on society and mental health. It’s fascinating.

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